yok'-fel-o (sunzugos, "yoked together"): The word is used by Greek writers of those united by any bond, such as marriage, relationship, office, labor, study or business; hence, a yoke-fellow, consort, comrade, colleague or partner.

(1) In the New Testament it occurs once only (Philippians 4:3): "I beseech thee also, true yoke-fellow." Most interpreters hold that Paul here addresses some particular but unnamed person, who had formerly been associated with him in the work of the gospel in Philippi. Many guesses have been made in regard to the identity of the unnamed "yoke-fellow," and these names have been suggested: Luke, Lydia, Epaphroditus, each of whom had in one way or another some connection with Philippi.

(2) Renan has suggested that yoke-fellow means Lydia (Acts 16:14, 15, 40), and that she had been married to Paul. But the fact that the adjective gnesios, "true," qualifying "yoke-fellow" is masculine and not feminine shows that it is not a woman but a man who is referred to. Renan's suggestion is an unworthy one, and is quite devoid of proof. It is a mere fanciful and unsupported creation of the Frenchman's brain. Renan's idea is a modification of an opinion which is as old as Clement of Alexandria, that Paul here referred to his own wife. But this conjecture is contradicted by the statement of the apostle himself, that he had not a wife (1 Corinthians 7:8; 1 Corinthians 9:5).

(3) There is still another way of interpreting "yoke-fellow," and probably it is the right one. Some expositors take the word as a proper name. Among these Westcott and Hort print "Sunzuge," in the margin. In favor of this interpretation there is much to be said, especially the fact that the word is found in the very midst of the names of other persons. The names of Euodia and Syntyche are mentioned immediately before, and that of Clement follows immediately after the true yoke-fellow. The meaning therefore is probably, "I beseech thee also, true Synzygos," i.e. I beseech thee, who art a genuine Synzygos, a colleague rightly so called, a colleague in fact as well as in name. It is obvious to compare the way in which the apostle plays upon the name Onesimus, in Philemon 1:11.

Philippians iii. 18-21... [666]. Ver.2, 3. "I exhort Euodia, and exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women.". .../.../homily xiii philippians iii 18-21.htm

Purity and Peace in the Present Lord... He calls on his "true yoke-fellow," and on Clement, and on his other "fellow-labourers," to "help" the two to a better mind, by all the arts of Christian .../.../christianbookshelf.org/moule/philippian studies/chapter xi purity and peace.htm

A Sketch of the Life of S. Gregory of Nyssa.... by death, ie of "Theosebeia, the fairest, the most lustrous even amidst such beauty of the adelphoi; Theosebeia, the true priestess, the yokefellow and the .../.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter i a sketch of the.htm

Paul Before his Conversion.... But Paul probably means a man, named Suzugosand plays upon the word: "Yokefellow by name and yoke-fellow in deed." Comp. a similar paronomasia in Philem. .../.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 30 paul before his.htm

On Admonition and Repentance.... [624] Require purity of thy body as thou requirest of thy yoke-fellow. ... birds, how that every kind cleaves to its kind; and so agree thou with thy yokefellow. .../.../hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/on admonition and repentance.htm

Yoked Service.... Ah, the old Rhode Island farmer had found the whole simple philosophy of the true life. Our Yokefellow is always there alongside. ...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/yoked service.htm

The Life of John Nisbet of Hardhill.... Then, having left the military, he came home and married one Margaret Law, who proved an equal, true and kind yoke-fellow to him all the days of her life, and .../.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of john nisbet.htm

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Philippians 4:3), one of the apostle's fellow-labourers. Some have conjectured that Epaphroditus is meant. Wyckliffe renders the phrase "the german felowe", i.e., "thee, germane [=genuine] comrade."

Euodia (1 Occurrence)... If so, then the apostle addresses Syzygus; or if this is not so, then he speaks to the unnamed "true yokefellow"; and what he says is ... See SYNTYCHE; YOKE-FELLOW.../e/euodia.htm - 10k

Syntyche (1 Occurrence)...yokefellow," to "help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel." What he means is that he asks the true yokefellow to help ... See EUODIA; YOKE-FELLOW. .../s/syntyche.htm - 8k

Labored (35 Occurrences)... Philippians 4:3 Yes, I beg you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow .../l/labored.htm - 17k

Bible Concordance

Yoke-fellow (1 Occurrence)

Philippians 4:3 Yes, and I beg you also, my faithful yoke-fellow, to help these women who have shared my toil in connection with the Good News, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow labourers, whose names are recorded in the Book of Life.(WEY WBS YLT)